Dark-haired and tough, Martin Snedden bowled accurate seam-up and was an effective late-order batsman. Although he took 11 wickets in two Tests against Australia in 1981-82, he never really cemented his place in the New Zealand Test side, just lacking the cutting edge needed. He was more valuable in the one-day game, where his variation of pace and well-disguised yorker were particularly effective. A keen rugby player, he is a qualified lawyer, and took over as New Zealand Cricket's chief executive in 2001 where he soon established himself as an effective an popular administrator, although he alienated a number of people with his seeming money-first stance when the government wanted the board to stay away from Zimbabwe. That attitude also resulted in New Zealand playing more one-day cricket at the expense of Tests. He announced that he was stepping down from May 2007 to take over at head of the company running the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
Cricinfo staff December 2006